Currently in the aviation industry, the state of the art for providing a DSP consists of installing software in various pieces of equipment that sends the message solely to the service provider who holds the contract for that user. All messages are then sent through that provider regardless of any priorities associated with the message and without considering any other competing service that might be available. This software normally resides in a Communications Management Unit (CMU) in aircraft and in some type of communications router for ground side operations. The software directs all messages to be sent over a single digital service provider network. The digital signal routing decisions are made almost solely on the basis of which Digital Service Provider (DSP) a user chooses to contract with as shown in FIG. 1. Historically, this has been sufficient since there was minimal overlap in services, limited competition, and a relatively limited number of digital messages. All of these paradigms are changing and the limited number of digital service providers is increasing. As the number of messages increases, the competition will increase. This will cause a definite change in the availability of choices. Not only will there be additional competitors, but eventually the two major DSPs will have significant overlap of capabilities and service, certainly from a geographic perspective. This overlap, as well as the introduction of new providers, will enable a dramatic increase in competition for those DSPs that can distinguish their offering and provide analysis of information for the user, leading to various user advantages at any given time. This increase in competition creates a need for real time or near-real time ability to choose or change the route by which a digital message travels to maximize the economic advantage of one route over another. Another failing of the current system is that it does not consider that some messages require special handling. It is possible that a given user may place a higher value on security or latency or even the guaranteed integrity of the message rather than mere expediency.
The present state of the art is the ARINC system located at a netsite at dominium.com/message.html, which discloses a system that only uses a single provider and is not prioritized by any factors. The system teaches a ground transportation product and uses one network unless it is out of range and then allows the user to choose a satellite media if the message is a priority. It can be programmed to default to this option for certain messages if desired. Neither of these methods continually considers several factors and multiple routes when available before choosing the most appropriate route based on the customer's criteria.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,417 discloses a system that is focused on fixed, ground-based telecommunications infrastructure. In addition, it assumes a model whereby the rate structures are fixed, based on a predetermined route. It also assumes a fixed initiation and receiving point as opposed to one or more of those points being dynamic.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,792 also discloses a fixed, ground-based telecommunications infrastructure. As with Pat. No. 5,570,417, it assumes a model whereby the rate structures are fixed, based on a predetermined route. It considers reliability but only from the perspective that should the primary carrier be unavailable, the database will identify an alternate carrier.
To date, there have been no new proposed solutions to deal with this problem. In the current aeronautical business model as shown in FIG. 1, current user discussions continue to focus on negotiating optimal rates with one DSP. If a user contracts with only one DSP and then uses another DSP's service, due to lack of regional service for example, the existing structure assumes the receiving DSP will deliver the message and bill the DSP which has a contract with the user. The DSP holding a contract with the specific customer will then turn around and bill the customer for the service along with additional handling charges. Even though some users contract with more than one DSP, this is done primarily with the intent to use a specific DSP within specific regions of the world. With software installed in the CMU when an aircraft is purchased or when a contract is negotiated, there is no way to effect economics, security, latency or quality on a real-time basis. A user is forced to use the sole source message route a DSP provides.
There are some existing digital service communications (though not in aviation) that have introduced some portion of economics into this problem. These existing ground solutions typically hold a message until lower cost service is available. In actuality, this method only holds the message until contracted service is available which avoids the double fee charging as discussed above. The basis of the economic advantage is that holding the message until contracted service is available will ensure lower cost service.
However, none of the prior art devices introduce multiple priorities into the decision making process, enabling the user, or initiator, to gain this significant benefit.